Warner on Peyton Manning to AZ possibilities

The only quarterback to ever lead the Arizona Cardinals to
a Super Bowl appearance is making the rounds at radio row
in Indianapolis at this year’s Super Bowl, and he’s got
some interesting thoughts on his former team’s quarterback
position.

Kurt Warner joined ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike (mornings 5
to 9 a.m on Arizona Sports 620) and discussed the looming
possibility that Colts quarterback Peyton Manning could be
wearing Cardinal red in 2012.

Co-host Mike Golic asked if Cardinals’ receiver Larry
Fitzgerald would be on board with Manning heading to
Arizona should he be released by Indianapolis before next
month’s roster bonus deadline day.

“I’m sure he would love that, and I’m sure the state of
Arizona would love that,” Warner said. “They’ve struggled
to fill that position and if you get an opportunity to
have a guy like Peyton Manning, assuming he’s back, he
changes the dynamic on your football team.”

And Warner acknowledges that Manning could be the X-factor
for the Cardinals, a team that showed promise late in
2011, winning seven of their last nine games.

“We saw a team that down the stretch won a number a games
and finished 8-8 with not a lot of pieces. If you add a
Peyton Manning to that mix in the NFC West, all of a
sudden, you’re a big time contender.”

The Cardinals aren’t the only team who will explore
signing the NFL’s best pitchman. Miami, Washington, San
Francisco, Seattle and the New York Jets have already been
linked through rumors, and there could be more.

“It’s going to be that risk-reward. How much to you have
to pay? What’s the risk? Is it all worth it at this
point in time of his career,” Warner said. “I think
that’s what’s going to be interesting is how many teams
jump into the mix saying ‘this is something we have to
try’.”

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